Stayed at the El Cid from March 29 to April 5. We had 2 adjoining rooms on the 15 floor tower facing the ocean and a nice view of the two pools. Well worth it.
Check in was fast and efficient. There is a charge for wi fi. I think it was approximately $35 for the week for one device only.
There were ladies in the lobby trying to sell time shares but if you let them know you are not interested, they will leave you alone. They also call the next day in the morning but again, if you let them know you are not interested, they will not call again.
The maid service is very good. Our rooms were cleaned daily and they were spotless. The chamber maid was very pleasant and appreciative of tips. Cleaning times were inconsistent but that didn't bother us. Sometimes, we would get back to our room in the afternoon and she would be there, which was fine. We would say hi, get what we needed and leave. Other times, we would come back and she wasn't there.
The beds are hard....very hard. They do have a thin mattress pad they put on it you ask for it. It helps a little bit.
The air conditioning in one of our rooms weren't working and the technician came up right away and fixed it. However, to our surprise, it wasn't fixed and we called...Stayed at the El Cid from March 29 to April 5. We had 2 adjoining rooms on the 15 floor tower facing the ocean and a nice view of the two pools. Well worth it.
Check in was fast and efficient. There is a charge for wi fi. I think it was approximately $35 for the week for one device only.
There were ladies in the lobby trying to sell time shares but if you let them know you are not interested, they will leave you alone. They also call the next day in the morning but again, if you let them know you are not interested, they will not call again.
The maid service is very good. Our rooms were cleaned daily and they were spotless. The chamber maid was very pleasant and appreciative of tips. Cleaning times were inconsistent but that didn't bother us. Sometimes, we would get back to our room in the afternoon and she would be there, which was fine. We would say hi, get what we needed and leave. Other times, we would come back and she wasn't there.
The beds are hard....very hard. They do have a thin mattress pad they put on it you ask for it. It helps a little bit.
The air conditioning in one of our rooms weren't working and the technician came up right away and fixed it. However, to our surprise, it wasn't fixed and we called again. This time it was fixed and what a difference. This can happen at any hotel.
It was very busy the 7 days we were there. Unless you got up at 5-6 AM to reserve a beach chair under a palapa (permanent umbrella), forget about getting one. Good thing there were beach vendors (and there were lots) that rented beach umbrellas that you stake in the sand for about 80-120 Pesos for the day. As it turned out, it was the first of two-week national holiday in Mexico the time we were in Mazatlan.
The food was tasty. It was pretty much repetitive everyday but because of the ample selection, you can choose something different each day.
The evening dinner shows were neat and entertaining.
We brought our own drinks cups from Starbucks and the waiters had no issue filling them up for us. We tipped after every meal and after every few drinks and our service was excellent. Very friendly waiters.
The beach is narrow and life guards were always on duty. Vendors walk up and down the beach all day and solicit their goods. 99% of them will leave you alone if you say no. My daughter got braids done by Valerie on the beach and it cost $200 Pesos. Valerie's husband supplied us our umbrella for the duration of our stay and charged us $80 Pesos per day. If you know you need an umbrella for a few days, bargain with the vendors and they will take care of you. When the sun moves, they come by and move the umbrella for you...very good service.
The pools at the Castilla side and Moro side are both nice, kept clean and good drink service. Moro side was windier during our stay. Life guards are at both pools and they take their job seriously. I witnessed a life guard jumping in and saving a swimmer. I was impressed. Everyone clapped when he brought her out.
If you plan to take a taxi, negotiate the fare prior to getting in. The bell boy will advise approximately how much it should cost. We went to Wal Mart and our taxi driver who drove us there, picked us up as well after an hour and he didn't over charge us. BTW Wal Mart in Mazatlan isn't as cheap as it is in Canada and it's not where the locals shop. I was hoping to shop where the locals go.....next time.
Check out was very quick...no line up at all.
We would recommend this hotel. Service is very good. Food is good. Facilities are clean and lots of amenities. Overall, good bang for your buck.More
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